Timetable clock sign structure



Sept. 20, 1955 RH. BRAMWELL 2,718,113

TIMETABLE CLOCK SIGN STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 26, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l Eusbound Northbound Southbound 3nventor. RALPH H. BRAMWELL Gttornegg,

Sept. 20, 1955 R. H. BRAMWELL TIMETABLE CLOCK SIGN STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26,

3nventor:

(Ittomegs,

p 1955 R. H. BRAMWELL 2,718,113

TIMETABLE CLOCK SIGN STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 26, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Snnentor:

RALPH H. BRAMWELL,

(Ittorneu c United States Patent TIMETABLE CLOCK SIGN STRUCTURE Ralph H. Bramwell, Spanish Fork, Utah Application February 26, 1951, Serial No. 212,791

Claims. (Cl. 58--127) This invention relates to sign structures, and is directed particularly to clock sign structures which indicate not only time but various items of correlative information as well.

In operating a bus depot in connection with a restaurant in a small town, I have had difficulty in providing customary timetable information service for the traveling public. Several different bus lines use my facilities, and throughout the day and night there are frequent arrivals and departures of buses coming from and going in various directions.

To supply the necessary information at a glance and to save the cost of a special information clerk, I have constructed a unique clock, which embodies a timetable schedule board as its face. In combination with this board, I have provided a clock mechanism having a single pointer which makes a complete circle around the clock face in a twenty-four hour period, thereby comprehending all schedule possibilities. Of course, there may be those who would like to adapt my invention to particular instances of use where a twelve hour or other length time period is involved. In such instances, a clock mechanism adapted to the particular time period should be employed.

The timetable schedule board is equipped with a series of segregated items of timetable information extending about the face thereof, preferably circumferentially of the sweep of the time indicating hand around the time dial of the clock, and suitable leads connect the respective items of information with particular points on the dial corresponding to the respective times concerned.

I have found that it is desirable to mark the items of information on individual sign elements, and to provide means for removably and replaceably attaching such sign elements to the face of the clock in proper positions relative to the time dial. I have found, further, that it is particularly desirable to utilize elongate glass plates as the individual sign elements, and to arrange such plates radially of the time dial, utilizing leads of a flexible wirelike material which can be bent as required in connecting the individual plates to the particular points concerned on the time dial. In this way, the information may be applied to the individual glass surfaces with paint, and may be easily scraped off when there is a change of schedule.

An advantageous way of attaching the individual glass plates to the timetable board is to afiix circular strips of a circumferentially perforated, rigid material to the timetable board in concentric spaced relationship about the time dial, and to glue wood blocks to and longitudinally of the respective glass plates, such wood blocks carrying suitable anchor means, as, for example, projecting pins, at the outer ends thereof for insertion in corresponding perforations of the outer perforate attachment strip, and carrying at the other or inner ends thereof. means, such as friction grooves, for attaching the re-;

spective leads. The leads, by passing through corresponding perforations of the inner attachment strip, completel 2,718,] 13 Patented Sept. 20, 1955 secure though easily removable attachment of the glass plates to the schedule board.

Other satisfactory constructions are possible, however, as will appear hereinafter.

Principal objects of my invention are, therefore,

To provide a device which will visually indicate essential information respecting various timetable items in correlation with a time indicator;

To make the various segregated items of timetable information readily changeable to conform with changes in schedule;

To enable quick and convenient finding and reading of the various segregated items and the respective times applying thereto; and

To provide a construction for the device which is relatively inexpensive and convenient to care for.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the particular preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings as examples of how the invention may be advantageously applied in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of one preferred form of the device, showing several segregated items. of timetable information as applied to bus travel;

Fig. 2, a side elevation;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and drawn to a somewhat enlarged scale;

Fig. 4, a fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and drawn to a scale somewhat enlarged over that of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, a similar fragmentary section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6, a fragmentary front elevation drawn to an enlarged scale, and showing a central portion of the clock face broken away to reveal certain details of the clock mechanism;

Fig. 7, a view corresponding to that of Fig. 3, but showing a somewhat different construction;

Fig. 8, a transverse section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9, a fragmentary front elevation drawn to a considerably enlarged scale of an embodiment possessing two concentric circles of timetable items.

Referring now to the drawings: the embodiment of Figs. 1 through 6 includes a clock mechanism 10, see Fig. 6, which may be of any standard type and either spring motivated or electric. Since it is desired, in this instance, to have the indicating hand or pointer 11 travel around the clock dial once every twenty-four hours, such indicating hand or pointer is arranged to be driven by the hour spindle 12 of the clock mechanism through suitable reduction gearing. This gearing is here illustrated as comprising a drive gear 13 afiixed to the hour spindle 12, a driven gear 14 afiixed to the same spindle, 15, as that to which the indicating hand or pointer 11 is affixed, and an idler gear 16, through which the driven gear 14 is made to rotate in the same direction as the drive gear 13, i. e. clockwise. The several gears are selected in size and tooth arrangement to reduce the speed of rotation of the hand, or pointer-carrying, spindle 15 to one-half that of the hour spindle 12. Accordingly, the indicating hand or pointer 11 travels around the clock or time dial 17 once every twenty-four hour period.

The face 18 of the clock, through the center of which clock. For convenience, the circular sweep of the hand 11 is divided into A. M. and P. M. sectors, which are so marked.

The timetable schedule board 18 may be made of any suitable material, for example and preferably, of plywood. To its exposed face are secured concentric inner and outer attaching rings 19 and 29, the same being themselves concentric with the spindle and time dial 17. Securement of these attachment rings 19 and 20 to the board 18 may be effected in any suitable manner, for example, by means of screws 22 passing through angular feet members 23. Both the inner and outer attachment rings are perforated circumferentially, to provide radially separated series of closely spaced openings 24, Fig. 4, circumferentially and concentrically of the time dial 17. The individual openings 24 of the respective attachment rings are aligned radially of the time dial, so as to receive fastening members of the individual sign elements for the readily removable attachment of such sign elements to the schedule board.

I prefer to utilize sign elements of elongate glass plate formation, as referred to hereinbefore, thereby enabling quick and easy removal and replacement of the sign indicia. As here illustrated, each of the individual glassplate sign elements is made up of an elongate glass plate 25, to the back face of which is applied an elongate strip or block 26 of wood or other suitable material, such as one of the Well-known plastics. The strip or block 26 is applied longitudinally and centrally of the glass plate 25, preferably by means of a coat of paint 25-1 acting as an adhesive.

Such coat of paint is advantageously applied over the back surface of a transparent glass plate to provide a background whose color is indicative of certain pertinent information, for example, the direction in which a particular bus is traveling. Of course, other adhesives or other means may be utilized to attach the strip or block to the back of the glass plate, and the glass itself may be of any color desired.

The length of the strip or block 26 is substantially equal to the radial distance separating the inner and outer attachment rings 19 and 20, respectively. A rigid pin 27, Fig. 3, is fixed into the outer end of the strip or block 26 for insertion within an opening 24 of the outer attachment ring 20. A flexible lead 28 of any suitable ductile strip material, such as wire of proper diameter for friction fit, is passed through the registering opening 24 of the inner attachment ring 19 and into a receiving bore 29 provided in the inner end of the strip or block 26. Such receiving bore is so dimensioned as to securely retain the lead 28 in close friction fit. In this manner the individual sign elements are secured to the schedule board in proper placement relative to the time dial 17.

It should be noted that the glass plates 25 are preferably tapered from their outer to their inner ends so as to fit closely together when placed side by side on the schedule board, see Fig. 1.

The leads 28 may be bent as found suitable during or following the attachment of the individual sign elements to the schedule board, to the end that the particular time associated with the indicia appearing on the sign element is pointed to on the time dial 17 It can be easily seen from the showing of Fig. 1 that my invention is well adapted to providing a complete visual indication of timetable information concerning a number of different items. The particular showing is concerned with buses which stop briefly at a way station in which the time table clock sign structure is utilized. Individual buses, usually accompanied by corresponding times of departure, are suitably marked on the respective sign elements by paints, which may be easily scraped off the glass plates when there is a change in schedule. As shown, the destination of the particular bus concerned is marked on the individual glass plate, together with a notation of the time of departure from the way station. Differently colored backgrounds are used to indicate which direction the respective buses are bound, and, in instances where several bus lines use the same way station, suitable indicating letters are also applied to the respective glass plates. The leads 28, then, correlate the respective sign elements with the time dial, and, by noting the position of the clock hand or pointer 11 relative to the time dial, it is possible for an observer to quickly ascertain whether a particular bus has departed or not. Appropriate legends may be applied to the margins of the schedule board, as indicated, to facilitate reading of the timetable information. It should be particularly noted that the ductile character of the respective leads 28 enable them to be bent as required to direct them to the appropriate point on the time dial 17. In this connection, the manner of mounting such leads 28 in their respective sign elements should be observed. In the form illustrated, the exposed portion of each lead 28 may be lengthened or shortened as required to conform to the extent of bending found necessary, by merely pulling or pushing the lead relative to its receiving bore 29. As shown in Fig. 3, the receiving bore 29 has a length sulficient to accommodate required adjustments in position of the received lead.

Other forms of sign elements and various other ways of removably attaching them to the schedule board proper may be employed. For example, instead of utilizing a glass plate on which suitable indicia is painted, a sheet metal holder 30, Figs. 7 and 8, having inturned margins 30a may serve to removably receive printed or otherwise suitably marked cards 31. These card holders 30 may be removably attached to inner and outer frictional mounting rings 32 and 33, respectively, by means of spring clips 34 afiixed to the backs of the respective card holders. The mounting rings 32 and 33 are attached to the face of the schedule board, here designated 35, in any suitable manner, for example, by means of screws 36. Ductile leads 37 are adjustably anchored in the respective card holders 30 by means of respective collars 38 and set screws 39, the adjacent clips 33 being appertured, see Fig. 8, to ac commodate surplus length of the leads.

In this latter embodiment, the cards 31 can be conveniently replaced in the sign holders 30 by merely slipping them out from the open ends of the holders, and the individual holders can be removed and replaced relative to the schedule board, as desired, by merely jerking them off and snapping them back onto the frictional mounting rings 32 and 33.

Other suitable ways of constructing the sign elements and of mounting them on the schedule board may be adopted as found advantageous from time to time.

My inventive concept is not limited to the provision of a single circle of sign elements about the time dial of a schedule board, but contemplates any concentric plurality of same found advantageous and practical in individual instances. As shown in Fig. 9, for example, two circular series of individual sign elements concentrically encircle the time dial of the schedule board. This enables the supplying of additional pertinent timetable information relative to particular items.

In the embodiment of Fig. 9, a first or inner circle 40 of items of timetable information is encircled by a concentric second or outer circle 41 of additional items of timetable information. Both of the circles 40 and 41 concentrically encircle the time dial 42 of the schedule board 43. The individual sign elements 44 of each of the circles 40 and 41 are shown as conforming in construction with those of the embodiments of Fig. 1, and as being similarly attached to the schedule board, here designated 43, so as to be removable and replaceable at will.

In the present instance, the individual items of the inner circle 40 impart information as to the time of departure of a bus, or other transportation equipment, from the station in which the sign is employed, and the time of arrival of the same at its destination. More extended information is provided by the individual items of the outer circle 41, which items are suitably correlated with the individual items of the inner circle 40. Thus, it is possible to supply information as to connections that may be made at a particular destination concerned.

The individual sign elements 44 of the additional circle 41 are correlated with the corresponding sign elements 44 of the first circle 40 by suitable placement on the schedule board and by suitable directing of the respective leads thereof, here designated 45.

Accordingly, it can be seen that the timetable sign of my invention is highly versatile, and offers the possibility of presenting extensive amounts of pertinent timetable information in easily read and comprehensively observable form. Complete information on various items of transportation and the like can be obtained at a glance, without long waiting in line for inquiry from an information clerk.

While the term concentric is here employed in connection with specific showings of circular time dials and circular series of sign elements, that term is to be interpreted sufficiently broadly to comprehend various polygonal and other suitable configurations surrounding the spindle which carries the indicating hand or pointer.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to particular preferred embodiments thereof, it should be understood that various changes, apart from the mere substitution of equivalents, may be made therein and various other constructions may be adopted on the basis of the teachings hereof, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the protective scope of those of the following claims which are generic to the broader inventive concepts disclosed.

I claim:

1. Sign structure, comprising a schedule board carrying a time dial substantially centrally of its face; clock mechanism having an hour hand mounted to sweep circularly about said time dial; a plurality of individual sign elements; mounting means concentrically comprehending said time dial and the path of said hour hand about said time dial; individual attachment means carried by the respective sign elements for securing said sign elements to said mounting means; and individual attenuate leads of readily pliable but normally shaperetaining material attached to and extending from the respective sign elements for sidewise bending adjustment to selectively indicate particular times on said time dial.

2. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein the said mounting means comprise at least one pair of concentric rings anchored to the face of the schedule board in mutually spaced relationship, at least the inner of said concentric rings being of strip formation and having a series of closely spaced perforations extending about its length; wherein the said sign elements are of elongate plate formation; and wherein the individual leads each comprise a ductile strip secured to an end of a sign element and adapted to be received by a perforation of said series, the said leads thereby serving as part of said sign element fastening means.

3. The combination recited in claim 2, wherein the individual sign elements have respective elongate blocks fastened to their back surface and extending longitudinally thereof; wherein a passage extends into and along each block from the inner end thereof; and wherein the said leads are frictionally received by the respective passages.

4. The combination recited in claim 3, wherein the individual sign elements are substantially transparent glass plates; wherein paint covers the back face of each of said glass plates; and wherein the said blocks are secured to said glass plates by the paint, acting as an adhesive.

5. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein the said mounting means comprise at least one pair of concentric rings anchored to the face of the schedule board in mutually spaced relationship; wherein the said sign elements are elongate card holders; and wherein the said fastening means comprise resilient clips adjacent opposite ends of each card holder for gripping the respective rings of said pair of rings.

6. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein the individual sign elements are glass plates having information painted thereon.

7. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein the said plurality of individual sign elements are arranged in a plurality of concentric series extending concentrically about the said time dial, the leads of those sign elements in an outer series being directed toward corresponding sign elements in the series next inwardly thereof.

8. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein the said schedule board carries on its face a legend correlating various colors with informative data concerning the directional movement of public conveyances, and wherein the individual sign elements are variously colored in conformity with said legend, and carry indicia corresponding to times of departure and destinations of respective conveyances.

9. Sign structure, comprising a schedule board carrying a time dial on its face; clock mechanism having hour-indicating means operatively disposed relative to said time dial; a plurality of individual sign elements correlated in position on said schedule board with respectively corresponding points of said time dial; and respective attenuate leads of readily pliable but normally shape-retaining material longitudinally adjustably attached to said individual sign e ements for sidewise bending adjustment to indicate various adjacent points of the time dial.

10. The combination recited in claim 9, wherein the said sign elements are arranged in a plurality of series disposed progressively more remote from the said time dial; and wherein the leads of those sign elements in more remote series are arranged to indicate corresponding sign elements in the next adjacent series which is less remote, rather than points on said time dial.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 537,829 Knapp Apr. 23, 1895 538,686 Leibecke May 7, 1895 1,068,538 South July 29, 1913 1,296,438 South Mar. 4, 1919 1,837,707 Follows Dec. 22, 1931 2,027,006 Thomas Jan. 7, 1936 2,098,004 Hirschman Nov. 2, 1937 2,500,001 Lucas Mar. 7, 1950 

